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Angola
Background: Civil war has been the norm in Angola since independence from Portugal in 1975. A 1994 peace accord between the government and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government and armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century.
Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 18 30 E Map references: Africa Area:
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries:
Coastline: 1,600 km Maritime claims:
Climate: semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April) Terrain: narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium Land use:
Irrigated land: 750 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau Environment - current issues: overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water Environment - international agreements:
Geography - note: Cabinda is separated from rest of country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Population: 10,145,267 (July 2000 est.) Age structure:
Population growth rate: 2.15% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 46.89 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 25.01 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: -0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 195.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 6.52 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22% Religions: indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.) Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: AO Government type: transitional government, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system Capital: Luanda Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire Independence: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal) National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975) Constitution: 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992 Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch:
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal da Relacao, judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders:
Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA]; National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Jonas SAVIMBI], largest opposition party engaged in years of armed resistance before joining the current unity government in April 1997; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS] ruling party in power since 1975; Social Renewal Party or PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA, Antonio MUACHICUNGO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita Henriques TIAGO; Antonio Bento BEMBE]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)
Economy - overview: Angola is an economy in disarray because of a quarter century of nearly continuous warfare. Despite its abundant natural resources, output per capita is among the world's lowest. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population. Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and 90% of exports. Notwithstanding the signing of a peace accord in November 1994, violence continues, millions of land mines remain, and many farmers are reluctant to return to their fields. As a result, much of the country's food must still be imported. To take advantage of its rich resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to implement the peace agreement and reform government policies. Despite the increase in the pace of civil warfare in late 1998, the economy grew by an estimated 4% in 1999. The government introduced new currency denominations in 1999, including a 1 and 5 kwanza note. Expanded oil production brightens prospects for 2000, but internal strife discourages investment outside of the petroleum sector. GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.6 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,030 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 270% (1999 est.) Labor force: 5 million (1997 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (1997 est.) Unemployment rate: extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (1999 est.) Budget:
Industries: petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity - production: 1.886 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 1.754 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish Exports: $5 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Exports - commodities: crude oil 90%, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton Exports - partners: US 63%, Benelux 9%, China, Chile, France (1998) Imports: $3 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods Imports - partners: Portugal 20%, US 17%, South Africa 10%, Spain, Brazil, France (1998) Debt - external: $10.5 billion (1999 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $493.1 million (1995) Currency: 1 kwanza (NKz) = 100 lwei Exchange rates: kwanza (NKz) per US$1 - 577,304 (January 2000), 2,790,706 (1999), 392,824 (1998), 229,040 (1997), 128,029 (1996), 2,750 (1995); note - beginning in June 1998, the official rate is determined weekly in accordance with a crawling peg scheme Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 60,000 (1995) Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,994 (1995) Telephone system:
telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links
Radio broadcast stations: AM 34, FM 7, shortwave 9 (1999) Radios: 630,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 7 (1999) Televisions: 150,000 (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)
Railways:
Highways:
Waterways: 1,295 km navigable Pipelines: crude oil 179 km Ports and harbors: Ambriz, Cabinda, Lobito, Luanda, Malongo, Namibe, Porto Amboim, Soyo Merchant marine:
Airports: 249 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Police Force Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age Military manpower - availability:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.2 billion (FY97/98) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 25% (FY97/98)
Disputes - international: none Illicit drugs: increasingly used as a transshipment point for cocaine and heroin destined for Western Europe and other African states Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
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